Playing In The Studio

         Good Morning! Today is not so much of a studio update so much as just showing y'all what I have been up to in the last couple of days. Currently I have no pressing deadlines and that has given me the time and freedom to play around a bit in the studio- something I don't get to do very often these days. I'm excited to be revisiting natural dyeing- something I dipped my toe into last fall with a class on Solar Dyeing. In the fall I dyed a few skeins of wool with a variety of natural dyes- I really enjoyed the process of colouring textiles in an environmentally and natural way.

      Yesterday I thought I would try my hand at dyeing with black beans- heaven knows how many times I have inadvertently stained my counter top while soaking dry beans! I bundled up a spare piece of white linen and bound it tie dye style- threw it into a big pot with pre soaked beans and a table spoon of Alum. So simple- I boiled the whole pot for about a half an hour- perhaps I should have kept boiling but I am an impatient gal so I pulled the fabric bundle out. Once I rinsed and unbound the linen a beautiful and subtle tie dye effect was revealed- I am so excited about this!

     I'm sure this half yard will be sewn up into yet another easy breezy summer top for my Girly- not that she doesn't already have quite the Momma made wardrobe already! I'm excited to try this entire process again on a much larger scale- you will can be certain to see this popping up in a few new goodies for the shop!

     I love the idea of making something from nothing- I think that is the magic of handcrafting- you start with a blank slate- or paper or fabric or board- what ever your chosen medium may be- and after hours of hand work and imagination the previously blank slate has morphed into a one of a kind item. I think it is a rather addictive process as I'm constantly searching out the special and unique in this world- no longer content with sameness! Be sure to keep an eye on Instagram for updates on my creative mayhem!

   In slightly other news I have been chosen as one of twelve new feature writers over at Modern Mama Vancouver- it would mean so much to me if you popped on over there and had a look at the other talented writers I will be sharing that space with!